Find services in your community.
Western Colorado 2-1-1 is a FREE and confidential service that links you with the health and human services you need. No more thumbing through the phone book looking for answers!

The Latimer House's mission is to provide opportunities to build and empower healthier, safer families through counseling and domestic violence services as well as services for victims of a sexual assault. Latimer House's counseling program offers services on a sliding scale and free to individuals of all ages including families dealing with but not limited to:

Domestic Violence

Family & Children

Adult and child survivors of abuse

Sexual assault/incest

Contact: 1003 Main Street

Grand Junction, CO 81501

970-241-0324 or 24 hour crisis hotline: 241-6704

THE RESOURCE CENTER

Accepting that domestic violence is real is often the hardest thing to do, but is is a very important first step. Through the Resource Center you will find assistance to help you get safe and remain safe including Safe House Shelter, Counseling & Support Groups (for adults & children), Community Referrals, Education, & Advocacy.

If you find yourself in a dangerous domestic violence situation you need to MAKE PLANS:

Know how to identify levels of violence so you can access the danger.

Try to leave before violence occurs.

Make arrangements to get help from a trusted friend.

Notify a neighbor to be alert and call the police.

Plan where you would go in a dangerous situation.

Sexual Assault Education:

Acquaintance Rape, Date Rape, and Non-Stranger Rape is forced sexual relations against a person's will, by someone known to the person.

Teenage Rape Facts:

1 in 4 girls and 1 in 10 boys in the State of Colorado will be sexually abused by the age of 18.

The majority of the rape victims are between the ages of 15 and 19 years of age.

Over 50% of rapes are committed by someone known to the victim.

The majority of reported rapists are between 15 and 24 years of age.

If It Happens To You:

Shock/Pain

Fear

Embarrassed

Guilty

Anger

Tired/Worried/Depressed/Tense

Trust your feelings, be assertive and tell someone. There is help available from trusting and understanding professionals and you don't have to hide.

Contact: 1129 Colorado Ave.

Grand Junction, CO 81501

970-243-0190

ALATEEN

Alateen is a fellowship of young Al-Anon members, usually teenagers, whose lives have been affected by someone elses drinking. Young people come together to:

Share experience, strength, and hope with each other

Discuss their difficulties

Learn effective ways to cope with their problems

Encourage one another

Help each other understand the principles of the Al-Anon program

Alateens members meet in church halls, school rooms, or other suitable places (many times in the same building as an Al-Anon group, but in a separate room).

Contact: 1-888-4AL-ANON to find your local meeting

www.al-anon.alateen.org

INFOLINE

InfoLine the community information and referral service is your connection to agencies, services and programs in Mesa County. InfoLine is available 24 hours a day by computer modem or by phone 8am - 5pm, Monday through Friday. InfoLine staff and volunteers will answer questions and help you find the services you need. InfoLIne can guide you to assistance and information for:

Childcare

Counseling services

Emergency food & shelter

Family problems

Financial assistance

Health care

Support groups

Senior services

Services for disabilities

Etc.

Contact: InfoLine 244-8400

Modem 244-2950 (24 hour access)

http://www.mcdss.co.gov/iris

AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION (SMOKING)

Smoking is a serious problem in the United States and at Central High School. Despite the well-documented dangers of smoking, it is estimated that 3,000 teeangers start smoking every day. Smoking is a hard habit to break. That's why it is important that your children never start.

HOW DO FAMILIES INFLUENCE STUDENTS TO SMOKE? As a parent, you can protect your student from the dangers of tobacco by taking a strong stand against smoking. The family has a BIG effect on whether a child will become a smoker. Parents are role models. In families where one or both parents smoke, students are more likely to imitate their parent's bad habit.

ADULTS HARM STUDENTS? Students who grow up in a home of a smoker have more lung illnesses than students of parents who don't smoke. Parents who smoke are more likely to cough, which spreads germs and exposes children to chest illnesses. These include infections such as pneumonia and bronchitis. Babies of mothers who smoke are three times more likely to die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

WHEN ARE STUDENTS MOST LIKELY TO START SMOKING? Young people between the ages of 11 and 14 usually start to face peer pressure to smoke. Teenagers themselves say that peer pressure is a major reason they start smoking.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO REDUCE THE CHANCES THAT YOUR STUDENT WILL SMOKE?

Don't allow smoking in your home.

If you smoke, don't smoke in front of your children.

And don't let your children see and handle your smoking materials.

Also ask visitors not to smoke in your home.

WHY SHOULDN'T YOU LET YOUR TEENAGER SMOKE AT HOME? If parents let teenagers smoke at home, it signals that smoking is accepted. Also, younger children will be more likely to smoke later if they see an older brother or sister smoking. Almost all parents, including those who smoke, don't want their children to smoke. So be firm in enforcing "no smoking" rules in your home. This sends a strong signal to your kids that smoking is harmful, even if you smoke yourself.

FACTS:

Formaldehyde is found in cigarette smoke. Formaldehyde preserves the dead.

Geraniol is found in cigarettes. Geraniol is also found in pesticides.

Acetone is found in cigarette smoke. Acetone also removes nail polish.

Hydrazine is found in cigarettes. Hydrazine is also found in rocket fuel.

Toluene is found in cigarette smoke. Toluene is also found in gasoline.

Cadmium is found in cigarettes. Cadmium is also found in batteries.

Cinnemaldyhyde is found in cigarettes. Cinnemaldehyde is also found in pest repellant.

Methanol is found in cigarettes. Methanol is also found in antifreeze.